Volunteer Fire Fighters Prepare For Large Plant Fires

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – In many rural counties of Mississippi sits factories, plants, and warehouses that may have been built many years ago.

With the real possibility of a fire, volunteer fire fighters must be prepared for anything.

There are more factory companies in the Magnolia State than you can count on two hands.

For that reason Volunteer Fire Departments must be ready to battle any blaze.

“We try to train at least twice a month. We try to do some cross training with other districts, in other departments. So, when the time does come we will be prepared,” said Northeast Clay County Volunteer Fire Chief Torrey Williams.

“We trying to be safe. We try to save as much property as we can, which if we don’t have the proper equipment, man power, or water we call mutual aide and that gets other agencies in route to supplement whatever we need,” said Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Neil Austin.

Late last month Pontotoc County’s Washington Furniture caught fire. Two weeks ago, Lowndes County Trim Joist Plant burned, and for the second time in a year, the American Furniture Store went up in flames.

Williams says it’s a learning experience when fires like that reach a certain magnitude.

“No two fires are the same. You have to apply even what you learned in structure fires, to commercial fires, you have to apply basically what you’ve learned from the others at that fire. It’s more trial and error,” said Williams.

Usually, volunteer fire fighters work another full-time job. Austin says when the volunteers work in these buildings it puts them at a great advantage.

“The more familiar we are with buildings, especially if we have someone on the department that works at a facility, it gives us insight to the floor plans. The way out, where the hazards are. We also get those by doing factory tours fire safety inspections and just general walkthroughs knowing our community that we serve,” said Austin.

The Northeast Clay County Volunteer Fire Department will participate in it’s next drill Thursday.